to die with hope, and to pass by death to eternal happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
165.
{September 18.]
Andover.
Whitchurch.
Overton.
Basingstoke.
Harford Bridge [Hartford Bridge].
Bagshot.
[Two entries illegible, ? Staines and Hounslow.]
Brentford *.
166.
1784.
In Messrs. Sotheby & Go's Auction Catalogue of May 10,
1875, Lot 119 is c a beautiful and most pious prayer in the
autograph of Dr. Johnson, dated January I, p.m. u 1784.' It was sold for eight guineas.
167.
EASTER DAY, Apr. n, 1784.
Almighty God, my Creator and my Judge, who givest life and takest it away, enable me to return sincere and humble thanks for my late deliverance from imminent death 2 . So govern my future life by the Holy Spirit, that every day which thou shalt permit to pass over me, may be spent in thy service, and leave me less tainted with wickedness, and more submissive to thy will.
1 From the original in the posses- of the night. At Hounslow the coach
sion of Mr. Locker-Lampson of Row- had halted for breakfast on the out-
fant. ward journey. Letters, ii. 328, n. 3.
This is a record of some of the 2 Ten days later he wrote to Mrs.
places on the road from Salisbury to Thrale : 'After a confinement of one
London. Johnson reached home on hundred and twenty-nine days, more
Sept. 1 8 at noon. Life, iv. 239. He than the third part of a year, and no
had taken about fifteen hours to go inconsiderable part of human life, I
from London to Salisbury, a distance this day returned thanks to God in
of eighty-two miles. Ib. p. 234. As St. Clement's Church for my recovery.'
Andover is sixty-four miles from Lon- Letters, ii. 392. See also Life, iv.
don, unless he broke his jourrey in 262-4, 271. returning he must have travelled most
I 2, Enable
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